Why Is Everyone Still Not Isolating Pakistan After Pulwama Attack?

The recent attacks in Pulwama, a district in Indian-Administered Kashmir as repeatedly highlighted by BBC, came as a shock to the entire nation.

As the nation mourns the martyrs, the anger of some part of the population is channeled in another direction. There are redundant cries by Indians, compelling the government to go to war. Amidst these claims, an important question is being repeatedly dismissed.

Why are the world nations not isolating Pakistan after its deliberate involvement and possible knowledge of the Pulwama attack?

India has started meeting envoys of United Nations P5 countries to brief them about the security situation following the terror attack. The P5 refers to the nations which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

These include the USA, UK, Russia, France, and China.

Blacklisting of Masood Azhar

The mastermind behind Pulwama attack, Masood Azhar

Many nations like France, Russia, and Japan highly condemned the attacks. Almost all countries unequivocally believe that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism and the origin of the world’s most violent terrorist organizations.

It is high time that the UN security council starts addressing the elephant in the room.

Since 2016, India’s repeated attempts to get Jaish-e-Mohammad’s chief, Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist has been stonewalled by China. They misuse their Veto power to do so.

This is after JeM has publicly accepted the responsibility for attacks in Pulwama. If Azhar is listed as a terrorist, he would face a global travel ban and an immediate freezing of assets.

China has stood by UN ban on JeM, as a terrorist organization but immediately reversed its stance against Azhar’s listing as a terrorist. While it has constantly highlighted India’s political ambitions to get Azhar blacklisted.

Isn’t China strengthening their diplomatic relations with Pakistan on account of these terrorist attacks in India?

As per China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, “when it comes to the listing, the two nations must find solutions based on regional management.”

Everyone’s aware of China and Pak being all-weather friends who share a quid-pro-quo relationship.

China is too deeply vested in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to withdraw any support. It is a multi-billion dollar, a collection of infrastructure projects which connects Gwadar port in Arabian sea to Xinjiang in China.

China has historically come to Pakistan’s rescue with economic, political, military and nuclear assistance

Strategic and Economic Importance for China

CPEC will open up new trade opportunities for Chinese manufacturing companies in the African and Middle East market with ease. This is done keeping in mind that Africa has enormous potential to grow in the next two decades.

It is inexplicable that even after such an attack, the government is still diffident to call on China by name to stop backing Pakistan on the Masood Azhar issue.

Breakthrough in brokering a peace deal or an end to terrorism will mean a stronger India and an even more focused economic competitor for China.

Will other nations intervene?

As far as the option of mediation to stop or isolate Pakistan by the superpower, USA is concerned. Pak is of strategic importance to it.

It borders Afghanistan, Iran (possible center of World War 3), China (America’s trade war enemy), and India itself.

Even though the US blocked most of Pakistan’s military aid, terrorism calls for advanced machinery. The US is repeatedly pitching several advanced military jets and other weaponry to India.

In October 2018, China indulged in the largest of its kind deal to send military drones to Pak. This happened as a consequence of India signing the S-400 air defense system deal with Russia.

The entire propaganda boils down to war funding and profiteering since arms deals contribute majorly to a country’s economy.

Then there’s India which has a rigid stance on isolating Pakistan diplomatically. As far as revoking Pakistan’s ‘most favoured nation’ status is concerned.

The rise in custom duties to 200% will greatly impact the whatsoever little imports we have from Pakistan.

It is more of a symbolic win aimed at signaling to the world, the change in India’s stance regarding Pakistan. There is only one advise I have for the Indian administration when it comes to combating terrorism.

‘Don’t go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.’

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